Iranians gather after the announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the US-Israel War, Tehran, Iran, April 8, 2026 (Majid Asgaripour/WANA)

UPDATE 1839 GMT:

UPDATE 1817 GMT:

At least 254 people have been killed and 837 wounded in Lebanon by Israel’s attacks on Wednesday.

Warplanes destroyed several buildings in the center of Beirut, as Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz claimed “a surprise strike” on Hezbollah.

“The United Nations strongly condemns the strikes by Israel across Lebanon that resulted in significant civilian casualties,” says Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “We continue to call on all sides to avail themselves of diplomatic channels [and] cease hostilities.”

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry also criticized “the brutal series of Israeli airstrikes that targeted vast areas in Lebanon” as “a dangerous escalation and a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the sister Lebanese Republic, the rules of international humanitarian law, and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701”.

Doha called on the international community to compel the Israelis “to halt their barbaric massacres and repeated attacks on Lebanon, and to hold them accountable for respecting international covenants and laws”.

UPDATE 1800 GMT:

The Iranian Navy has said ships must not pass through the Strait of Hormuz without Tehran’s permission.

“Any vessel trying to travel into the sea…will be targeted and destroyed,” the Navy warned.

UPDATE 1754 GMT:

Donald Trump has maintained that Israel’s war on Lebanon is not part of the two-week ceasefire.

Trump said the Israeli attacks on Lebanon are a “separate skirmish”:

Because of Hezbollah. They were not included in the deal. That’ll get taken care of too. It’s alright.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards issued a “firm warning” to the US and Israel: “If the aggression against beloved Lebanon does not cease immediately, we will fulfill our duty and deliver a response.”

Lebanon Prime Minister Nawaf Salam posted:

Whilst we welcomed the agreement between Iran and the United States, and stepped up our efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, Israel continues to escalate its attacks, which have targeted densely populated residential neighborhoods and claimed the lives of unarmed civilians across Lebanon, particularly in the capital, Beirut.

[It is] showing no regard for regional and international efforts to end the war, let alone the principles of international law and international humanitarian law, which it has never respected in the first place.

UPDATE 1742 GMT:

A “senior US official” has asserted that Iran’s 10-point proposal is not the set of conditions agreed to by the White House for a ceasefire.

“The document being reported by media outlets is not the working framework,” the official said.

UPDATE 1245 GMT:

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says he has confirmation from Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian that Tehran will participate in talks in Islamabad, scheduled for Friday.

Pezeshkian tweeted:

The ceasefire, with the acceptance of the general principles desired by Iran, was the fruit of the blood of our great martyred [Supreme Leader] Khamenei and the achievement of the presence of all the people on the scene.

US Vice President J.D. Vance was less forthcoming. Speaking from Budapest, where he is campaigning for the re-election of hard-right Hungarian Prime Minister — and ally of Vladimir Putin — Viktor Orbán, he said:

This is a fragile truce. You have people who clearly want to come to the negotiating table and work with us to find a good deal, and then you have people who are lying about even the fragile truce that we’ve already struck…..

If the Iranians are willing, in good faith, to work with us, I think we can make an agreement; if they’re going to lie, if they’re going to cheat, if they’re going to try to prevent even the fragile truce that we’ve set up from taking place, then they’re not going to be happy.

UPDATE 1237 GMT:

Two vessels, the Greek-owned bulk carrier NJ Earth and the Liberia-flagged Daytona Beach, have crossed the Strait of Hormuz today.

Vessel movements resume in the Strait of Hormuz following ceasefire announcement

Early signs of vessel activity are emerging in the Strait of Hormuz following a ceasefire announcement, which includes a temporary reopening of the strategic waterway to allow for negotiations.… pic.twitter.com/CSy6PZlCJ4

— MarineTraffic (@MarineTraffic) April 8, 2026

UPDATE 1031 GMT:

The Israeli military has issued another evacuation order for the southern suburbs of Beirut, moments after announcing its forces are continuing “combat and ground operations” against Hezbollah.

More than 1 million people in Lebanon have been displaced as Israel expands its zone of occupation and bombs across the south of the country and the Beirut suburbs.

The Lebanese army has urged displaced families to delay their return home to the south of the country, warning of ongoing Israeli attacks.

Lebanese sources told Reuters that Hezbollah has halted its attacks against northern Israel and on Israeli troops. They said the group is likely to issue a statement outlining its formal position on the US-Iran ceasefire and on Israel’s refusal to accept it for Lebanon.

UPDATE 0701 GMT:

Israel has continued attacks on Lebanon this morning, with artillery fire and drone strikes on the south.

An hour before the ceasefire over Iran was announced, the Israelis bombed a car in front of beach-side cafes in Saida, killing eight people and wounding 22.

UPDATE 0518 GMT:

Donald Trump is already furious that outlets are reporting the terms of the ceasefire.

He posted on Truth Social that a CNN summary is a “FRAUD…linked to a Fake News site (from Nigeria)”.

Trump claimed he has launched an investigation, with results to be announced in the near future.

UPDATE 0516 GMT: UN Secretary General António Guterres has welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire.

Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Guterres “calls on all the parties to the current conflict in the Middle East to comply with their obligations under international law and to abide by the terms of the ceasefire in order to pave the way toward a lasting and comprehensive peace in the region”.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Donald Trump has backed down from his declaration that Iran’s “civilization will die tonight”, accepting a proposal for a two-week ceasefire in the US-Israel War.

Leading mediation efforts by several countries, Pakistan announced its circulation of the proposal. Hours before his “deadline” — 8 p.m. in Washington; 3:30 a.m. in Tehran — for Iran to give up control of the Strait of Hormuz, Trump agreed.

He posted on social media that his acceptance was “subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz”.

However, Iranian officials say they retain oversight of the Strait, through which around 25% of the world’s maritime oil and 20% of maritime gas passes. Global oil prices dropped around 15% with the news of the ceasefire, with Brent at $93.48 per barrel and futures for West Texas Intermediate at $96.27.

There was also no sign that Iran accepted the central demand of the Trump camp, a permanent end to Tehran’s nuclear programme. Trump said vaguely that uranium “will be perfectly taken care of”.

Trump also said he will negotiate on the basis of Iran’s 10-point platform for a halt to the war, rather than his Administration’s 15-point ultimatum. He said the Iranian proposal would be the basis for a lasting ceasefire to be “finalized and consummated”.

Iran’s terms provide for the opening of the Strait with a protocal to ensure freedom and security of navigation. They include a halt to all conflicts in the region, including Israel’s war on Lebanon; commitment to the lifting of sanctions on Tehran; and compensation for the costs of reconstruction.

Iran also will fully commit not to seek possession of nuclear weapons.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi summarized, “For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordinating with Iran’s Armed Forces.”

An Israeli official said Israel will agree to the ceasefire as soon as Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz eased. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintained that the terms do not cover its attack on Lebanon, with the expansion of its occupation of the south of the country.

US-Israel War on Iran, Day 40: Trump Backs Down With 2-Week Ceasefire